Report: Kings interested in Buford

The new ownership regime in Sacramento includes Spurs general manager R.C. Buford among its potential candidates to replace departed team president Geoff Petrie, USA Today reported on Monday.

Buford is widely considered among the NBA’s best personnel men, working side-by-side with head coach and team president Gregg Popovich to build one of the most consistent franchises in professional sports.

Buford has been with the Spurs for 22 seasons, joining Popovich on Larry Brown’s staff in 1988. He spent four seasons in San Antonio as an assistant before leaving for two years. He returned to San Antonio as head scout in 1994 and steadily rose in the organization before his promotion to general manager in 2002.

He’s had a hand in drafting such key players as Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard.

Buford had been linked with the Kings earlier this year when they were reported to be on the verge of moving to Seattle. A Spurs source told the Express-News then that Buford “wasn’t going anywhere.”

“He loves living in San Antonio and loves what we have built here,” the source told the E-N’s Mike Monroe. “You could probably find about 25 of the other 29 franchises that would like to have R.C., so the speculation is understandable, but he’s staying with the Spurs.”

As such, USA Today’s Sam Amick wrote that Buford is “unlikely” to have interest in the Kings job.